President's address on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine

 

Dear compatriots!

 

Twenty years ago, by adopting the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine, our state has made a decisive step towards independence. It was not an easy decision, because mentally most of the MPs of the Verkhovna Rada of then-Soviet Ukraine were still thinking within the categories of political reality of the time. And yet they voted for a document that essentially opened a new page in the history of Ukraine.

 

Let us not forget that all previous attempts to obtain sovereignty had ended in failure. Yet, we must also remember that being a part of the Soviet Union, albeit with limited sovereignty, Ukraine laid the foundations for economic and cultural strength, without which its future independence would be impossible.

 

There can be different judgments expressed about that period of time, but one thing is certain: it is our history, and we will not allow anyone to rewrite it.

 

Twenty years ago the Ukrainian people and, at the same time, the international community were given a clear signal about which way Ukraine will go in the future. Nobody could predict back then how difficult and controversial this progress would be. Many mistakes were made, much effort put into fruitless confrontation between different political camps.

 

But perhaps it was our fate to follow this road of hopes and disappointments to the end. Therefore, I believe we should neither exaggerate nor diminish the significance of these 20 years.

 

We are moving forward. At last the long-awaited political stability has come, the foundations for deep systemic reforms are being laid which will put Ukraine on the path of sustainable social-economic development.

 

As the President of the state, the Guarantor of the Constitution, I am determined to provide Ukraine with such internal and external factors that would enable our people to feel that irresponsibility of the government is a thing of the past for good.

 

The European prospects, the development of strategic relations with the centers of global politics, including with the Russian Federation, will ensure our economic prosperity and social progress. Thus, we will continue the work started 20 years ago properly.

 

Congratulations to you, dear compatriots!